Verne and Patacha
Verne and Patacha are two continents that make up part of a planet with no given name - neither continent was aware of each other's existence up until the invasion of Alegria, Patacha by Hira. As such, as far as the people of the individual continents were concerned, they were the sole inhabitants of the planet. Verne and Patacha are the parallel equivalent of Europe and the Americas respectively. During the events of the Cycle of Revolution ''Trilogy, Verne is on the brink of what is to us the Imperial Age - professional standing armies are emerging in most of the countries; gunpowder has revolutionised warfare; new technologies have created larger, faster ships with which to reach the far corners of the globe. Patacha's civilisation, meanwhile, remains unchanged after 500 years. Made up of twelve provinces, each with its own jurusdiction and constitution, there is massive social divide in Patacha, especially now that they are beginning to emerge into the Mediaeval Period - a new social class is emerging: the nobility. Many of Patacha's provinces have been wracked by intensive over-farming, drought, plague and subsequent poverty. These areas rely on the support of their superpower, Chastan, if they are to survive. Countries of Verne Much like Europe, Verne was once a series of small kingdoms vying for more territory and superiority over the continent. Of course only the strongest countries very able to expand, absorbing the lesser ones as they did so. The Treaty of Naphtanan of 0BFH layed out the boundaries of the Permanents - no country outlined in the Treaty's parchment could be attempt to expand its territory, as this would mean another country would lose territory, and according to the Utopian ideals that the Treaty tried to create, such an act must never happen. All countries that comprise the continent of Verne are listed below. *'Aurus''' - the economic superpower of the continent, which takes up the entirity of the Coern Peninsula. Its capital, Reichena, occupies almost the entirity of a small island just to the north-west of the Peninsula. With the country's coffers overflowing thanks to the small businesses established in Porfalliss, plans are in place to contruct a gargantuan bridge spanning the Straits between Reichena and the mainland. *'Merm Azda' - the only of the original kingdoms left; this has swollen the pride of its people to the point of Nationalism becoming an immutable fact of life. The capital of Naphtanan lies at the very heart of the continent, and if the stories are true, was once the Mecca of sorcerers and magic-practicioners everywhere, as well as the home city of the Most Ancient Order of the Disciples of Galen. *'Khajan' - formerly the Country of Six - six small countries locked in a tug-war against each other. Only united so as to throw off the shackles of slavery posed by the Duchy of Sulaera. Now, 150 years later, its people see the fact that Khajan still has geographical regions as an insult to their 'comradeship'. The country is named after the herioc Prince Khajan of Phell - one of the counties that make up Khajan - who took it upon himself to personally lead the entire war effort against Sulaera, and after phenominal success was assassinated during the Siege of Naphtanan, at most an hour before the Armistice was signed. In homage to his title, Khajan is a Principality. *'Khackaria' - A lesser country that is very difficult to defend - the equivalent of Belgium/Netherlands. According to the Treaty of Naphtanan, Khackaria is a province of Merm Azda, but shortly after the Treaty came into force, King Paren allowed all the provinces to vote on whether they wanted to remain independant or whether they wanted to be part of Merm Azda. To most of the provinces, this seemed like a challenge, as if daring them to try and sustain themselves. Khackaria was the only province brave enough to break this taboo. The Khackarns have subsequently enjoyed fruitfull trade with their mother nation, but are now under threat from the increased arms production in neighbouring Aurus. *'Hira' -